Pelargonium plant named ‘Pactiowhispl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct interspecific Geranium plant named ‘Pactiowhispl’, characterized by its broadly upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; and white and red to red purple bi-colored single type flowers that are held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium x hortorum X Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACTIOWHISPL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of interspecific Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum X Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pactiowhispl’.

The new interspecific Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous interspecific Geranium plants with dark colored leaves and attractive flowers.

The new interspecific Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2016 of an unidentified proprietary selection of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unidentified proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Seed was collected from a number of potential parent plants, combined and sown. The new interspecific Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated mass cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new interspecific Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since January, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new interspecific Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new interspecific Geranium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pactiowhispl’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pactiowhispl’ as a new and distinct interspecific Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   6. White and red to red purple bi-colored single type flowers         that are held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Plants of the new interspecific Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Swewhi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,405. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new interspecific Geranium differ from plants of ‘Swewhi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new interspecific Geranium are more outwardly         spreading than and not as upright as plants of ‘Swewhi’.     -   2. Plants of the new interspecific Geranium are more vigorous         and larger than plants of ‘Swewhi’.     -   3. Plants of the new interspecific Geranium have larger leaves         than plants of ‘Swewhi’.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new interspecific Geranium are         single types whereas flowers of plants of ‘Swewhi’ are         semi-double types.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new interspecific Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new interspecific Geranium plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pactiowhispl’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the spring, summer and autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial interspecific Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were four months old when the photograph was taken and nine months old when the detailed description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification:

Pelargonium x hortorum X Pelargonium peltatum ‘Pactiowhispl’.

-   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly upright and mounding plant             habit; broad inverted triangle; densely foliated; vigorous             growth habit; rapid growth rate; freely basal branching             habit with about four primary lateral branches each with             about five secondary lateral branches developing per plant;             pinching is typically not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 40 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 70 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 33 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Internode length: About 3.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture             and luster: Moderately pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close             to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite and alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 6.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 10.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Rounded to cordate.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent;             coriaceous; matte.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; no discernible zonal pattern; venation, close             to 147A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 144A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 6.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single type flowers             arranged in hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf             axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly depending on             the position on the umbel; freely flowering habit with about             twelve open flowers per umbel and numerous umbels developing             per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants begin             flowering about 70 days after planting; in the garden in             Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until frost             in the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the             plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 5 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Pubescent; matte.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five; petals slightly             imbricate. Length, upper petals: About 2.8 cm. Length, lower             petals: About 2.6 cm. Width, upper and lower petals: About             2.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D;             towards the base, close to between 42A and 57A; venation,             close to 58A; color does not change with development. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D;             venation, close to 57A; color does not change with             development.         -   Petaloids.—To date, petaloid development has not been             observed on plants of the new interspecific Geranium.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             semi-glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Pubescent;             semi-glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 12.5 cm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Angle: Mostly             upright. Texture and luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color:             Close to 146B.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 2.4 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture and luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to             146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About nine. Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color:             Close to 155D. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther             shape: Tubular. Anther color: Close to 177D. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 167A. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma             diameter: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma             color: Close to 58B. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color:             Close to 58B. Ovary color: Close to 139D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new interspecific             Geranium. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new interspecific     Geranium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and     pests common to interspecific Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new interspecific Geranium have     been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0.5° C. to     about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct interspecific Geranium plant named ‘Pactiowhispl’ as illustrated and described. 